Emergency escape device for high rise building

ABSTRACT

A transport or escape device, particularly adaptable for use in modern high rise buildings, and skyscrapers, as an escape route for use in the rescue of people who may be trapped and prevented from using the conventional stairways and elevators due to some injury, or natural or man-made disaster such as fire, elevator failure, building collapse, etc. The apparatus, or device, particularly useful as a fire escape, comprises the combination of a channel member installed upon the wall of a building which serves as a way, or rail for a roller chain, adapted to carry personnel escorts or carriers. The roller chain is meshed with a sprocket, or sprockets, powered by appropriate motor means such that the roller chain, provided with one or a plurality of personnel escorts or carriers fitted thereto via appropriate connecting means, can be guided and transported via the channel member, or rail, up the wall of the building from a lower level, e.g., ground level, to a higher level, e.g., the roof of the building, and then returned in similar manner. For example, empty personnel escorts can be conveyed to the roof of the building, loaded with people, and then returned to ground level. Suitably, the roller chain is stored upon a drum from which it can be unwound for use, and then rewound for storage. The channel member, or rail, is generally permanently mounted on a wall of the building, while other components can be either permanently mounted, or transportably mounted on a vehicle for use at different locations equipped with the channel members, or rails, installed prior to any emergency use requirement.

Smith [451 Aug. 27, 1974 1 1 EMERGENCY ESCAPE DEVICE FOR HIGH RISEBUILDING [76] Inventor: Luther A. Smith, 1914 Delaware Ave., Kenner, La.70062 22 Filed: June 28, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 374,676

[52] US. Cl 182/40, 182/73, 182/82, 182/141, 187/6 [51] Int. Cl. B66b9/00, A62b l/O2 [58] Field of Search 182/70, 73, 40, 41,42, 182/44, 141,82; 187/6 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 210,596 12/1878Burnham 182/43' 607,161 7/1898 Conaway 182/82 780,711 l/l905 Donnell187/6 1,326,896 12/1919 Anderson 182/42 2,119,444 5/1938 Sampieri 182/442,143,953 l/l939 Le Roy 182/40 2,763,420 9/1956 Hebert 182/40 2,961,06011/1960 Taylor 182/40 Primary ExaminerReina1do P. Machado Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Llewellyn A. Proctor ABSTRACT A transport or escapedevice, particularly adaptable for use in modern high rise buildings,and skyscrapers,

as an escape route for use in the rescue of people who may be trappedand prevented from using the conventional stairways and elevators due tosome injury, or natural or man-made disaster such as fire, elevatorfailure, building collapse, etc. The apparatus, or device, particularlyuseful as a fire escape, comprises the combination of a channel memberinstalled upon the wall of a building which serves as a way, or rail fora roller chain, adapted to carry personnel escorts or car-' riers. Theroller chainis meshed with a sprocket, or

sprockets, powered by appropriate motor means such that the rollerchain, provided with one or a plurality of personnel escorts or carriersfitted thereto via appropriate connecting means, can be guided andtransported via the channel member, or rail, up the wall of the buildingfrom a lower level, e.g., ground level, to a higher level, e.g., theroof of the building, and then returned in similar manner. For example,empty personnel escorts can be conveyed to the roof of the building,loaded with people, and then returned to ground level. Suitably, theroller chain is stored upon a drum from which it can be unwound for use,and then rewound for storage. The channel member, or rail, is generallypermanently mounted on a wall of the building, while other componentscan be either permanently mounted, or transportably mounted on a vehiclefor use at different locations equipped with the channel members, orrails, installed prior to any emergency use requirement.

11 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTED M192 7 I974 FIG. 7

FIG, 8

EMERGENCY ESCAPE DEVICE FOR HIGH RISE I BUILDING It has been aptly said,The only thing certain in life, with the exception of death and taxes,is uncertainty. Hazards from man-made and natural disasters is a wayoflife. Conflagration or fire, while not a new problem, has proven oneof mans most destructive enemies. Each year in this country it isestimated that more than ten thousand lives are lost in fires, andvaluable property is destroyed. Data on fire losses has been availablesince 1876, and since that year fire losses have totaled well over fortybillion dollars. Property valued at more than one billion dollars is nowlost each year as a result of fires. I

A tragic factor about fires is the catastrophic damage of which they arecapable, and the horror and suffering which they cause. Many times inhistory, entire cities have been virtually destroyed, even in the courseof natural events. For example, in 1906 some twenty-eight thousandbuildings were destroyed in the San Francisco fire; over seventeenthousand buildings were lost in the Chicago fire of 187]; and in 1861,the entire city of Charleston, South Carolina, was destroyed by fire. In1953, the largest single building fire in history destroyed the GeneralMotors plant at Livonia, Michigan, an estimated fifty million dollarloss. The loss of life is even more tragic, and far more horrible tocontemplate. For example, eleven hundred and fifty-two human lives werelost in the Peshtigo, Wisconsin, fire of 1871. The difficulties ofproperly protecting lives from fire, and other disasters, has becomemore and more acute, and the potential hazards even greater in the morerecent years with the increasing number of high rise buildings, andskyscrapers, being built at increasing rate in the modern cities of thiscountry. While sociologists may give many reasons in explanation of suchproblem, many paradoxical in nature, the arsonist and anarchist hasintensified the hazards associated with fires in high rise buildings,and skyscrapers, as evidenced only recently by the Rault Building firebelieved set by an arsonist, or arsonists, and the Howard Johnson fireset by a sniper, or snipers, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.

It is not at all uncommon, especially in the larger cities, for theheight of buildings to range as high as several hundred feet, or eventoa height greater than one thousand feet. Fires started on the lowerfloors of such buildings, where persons are trapped on the more elevatedfloors, or onthe roof, make escape from such hazard extremely difficult.Modern high rise buildings, and skyscrapers, are not generally protectedby fire escapes and the discovery and development of modern devices forpermitting escape from fire, once started,

appear to have lagged far behind mans ingenuity in the design,construction, and use of such buildings. A person seriously injured orwounded on an elevated story of such buildings, for whatever cause, isin a particularly difficult situation if the conventional elevatorsystem is not capable of operation, and policemen and firemen areparticularly handicapped in having to deal with emergencies in suchsituation.

It is accordingly the primary objective of the present invention toobviate these and other such problems.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedtransport or escape device, particularly adaptable for use in modernhigh rise buildings,

and skyscrapers, suitable for the rescue of people who fire, elevatorfailure, building collapse, threat from snipers, and the like.

A specific object is to provide a new and novel ground controlled devceof such type suitable for very rapidly conveying equipment and emergencyitems to elevated portions of high rise buildings, and skyscrapers,inclusive of firemen and policemen who can be transported in personnelescorts or carriers which are shielded to provide protection againstsmoke and fire, and snipers bullets.

Another object is to provide a device of such type, particularly a fireescape, of simple construction and design, with assured reliabilityrequiring a minimum of maintenance and operating labor.

These and other objects are achieved in accordance with the presentinvention which comprises the combination of a channel member, or hollowrail, within and through which a flexible chain, preferably a rollerchain, adapted with means to accomodate and carry personnel escorts orcarriers, is guided and conveyed. The channel member, or rail, isinstalled on the wall (outside or'inside, preferably the former) of ahigh rise building leading generally from a low level, e.g., groundlevel, to an elevated level, e.g., the roof of the building, and theroller chain, which is meshed with one or more sprockets, powered viaappropriate motor means, is guided and transported via the channelmember on rail up the wall of the building. In their most preferredform, the carriers are of a type suitable for transport empty to anelevated level of the building, loaded with people and then returned toground level; or people, e.g., firemen, policemen, etc., could likewisebe transported from the lower level to the elevated level, and laterreturned in similar manner, should this prove desirable, as could beoccasioned in some emergency type situations. Equipment useful inemergency situations,

e.g., fire hose, telephones with lines attached, armoured personnelescort carriages, etc., can be similarly transported. Suitably, theroller chain, with its attachment means for connecting the personnelescorts or carriers is stored on a drum, from which it can be unwoundfor use and rewound thereon for storage. The channel member, or rail, isgenerally permanently mounted on the wall of a building, while the othercomponents can be eitherpermanently mounted for use therewith, ormounted on a vehicle'or carriage for use at different locations equippedwith the channel members, or rails, installed prior to any requiredemergency use.

In the combination constituting the transport or escape device of thisinvention, a channel member (so characterized because of the generalshape of the cross-section), or rail, serves as a way, track or path,along and through which the roller chain, with its attachment means foraccommodation of the personnel escort and carriers, is guided andconveyed. The channel member, in its essence, is similar to the ordinaryrailway rail, except that the head is hollow and is provided with a fulllength longitudinal opening, or slot. The hollow head accommodates theroller chain, and the full length longitudinal opening, or slot,accommodates the attachment means to which the personnel escorts orcarriers can be secured, and both the roller chain and attachment meansare freely movable within the hollow head and longitudinal opening,respectively, without interference as the roller chain is moved throughthe hollow head, or channel member. The hollow rail, or channel member,is installed on a wall such that the head is faced away from the wall,and a base or flange portion thereof provides a suitable means forconnecting the rail to the wall. The hollow rail is installed on a wallin vertical position, and can be curved as desired, the bending radius,inwardly (the head forming the outside radius), outwardly (the headforming the inside radius) or to the left or right of a centrallydefined path, being limited only by the necessity of accommodating theflexible roller chain enclosed within the hollow head portion of therail. The rail is thus always installed on the wall of a building, andhence its overall path is generally vertical, but it is often desirableto alter the path of the rail to pass over or evade projecting ledges,balconies or windows, and this can be conveniently done by the apparatusof this invention, changes in rail direction approximating 90 angles,and greater, being quite feasible with conventionally made rollerchains, or roller chains presently marketed in this country.

The flexible chain is one made of repeating units, or links, whichduring an operation can be securely engaged, or meshed, with a powereddrive, sprocket, or plurality of sprockets, powered by conventionalmotor means controlled at ground level. Preferably, the flexible chainemployed is a roller chain with repeating open linkages which can bereliably and readily engaged and meshed with the cogs of a sprocket, orsprockets. In a preferred form, the roller chain employed is one whereinrollers, with central openings, are paired one in parallel relationshipto another, pairs of rollers are located in tandem relationship, onepair relative to another, and the pairs of rollers are joined togethervia an inner plate or link located between the pairs of rollers and apair of outer plates or links, with end openings, through which rollerand link opening pins are passed to secure the inner and outer platesupon the rollers, the pins serving as axles for the rollers. The innerlink or plate, usually of greater thickness and strength than the outerlinks or plates, are designed to carry the means, or provide the means,by virtue of which the personnel escorts or carriers can be attached. Inanother preferred form of roller chain, intermediate pairs of rollersare provided between the outer pairs of rollers, these serving, in thisinstance generally, as a bearing surface upon which force is applied bythe sprocket cams to transport the roller chain within the channelmember, or hollow rail, while the outer pairs of rollers serve as guidemembers. In roller chains of this type, the outer links or plates areusually alternately mounted outside of the outer rollers and inside ofthe outer rollers, while the inner links are alternately mounted betweenthe inner rollers. In all forms, the rolwith whole correspondingnumbers, the whole numbers are used in generic sense and subscripts aregenerally used where there are a plurality of similar parts orcomponents.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view, in generally schematic fashion, ofthe invention combination, inclusive of a channel member or rail, rollerchain, personnel escorts or carriers, sprocket drives and associatedmotor means, and drum storage compartment, as installed for use totransport personnel escorts or carriers via rail from ground level to anelevated level of a building;

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. I showing apreferred type of roller chain mounted and enclosed within the channelmember, or rail;

FIG. 3 depicts a section, in plan view, of a rail, with a portionthereof broken away to illustrate a preferred type of roller chain, asshown in FIG. 2;

FIG. depicts a preferred type of plate or link for use in forming aroller chain;

FIG. 5 depicts a preferred type of drive sprocket meshed with the rollerchain described by reference to the preceding figures, as well as a typeof attachment means or link located on the roller chain, pairs or aplurality of which are adapted for carrying the personnel escorts orcarriers;

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing furtherdetails of the drive sprocket, and the roller chain;

FIG. 7 depicts the roller chain drum storage compartment;

FIG. 8 is a section view taken along lines 88 of FIG. 7 showing furtherdetails of the drum storage compartment;

FIG. 9 depicts the articulated upper portion of a personnel escort orcarriage, showing connection means, or means for connecting the lattervia the personnel escort or carriage attachment means to the rollerchain;

FIG. 9A is a fragmentary view depicting an edge view of the articulatedlink itself;

FIG. 10 depicts an end view of one of the connecting means mentioned inpreceding FIG. 9 for attaching a personnel escort or carriage uponattachment means located on the roller chain;

FIG. 11 depicts a side elevation view of the lower portion of apreferred type of personnel escort;

FIG. 12 depicts in plan view, taken along lines 12-42, the devicedescribed by reference to FIG. 11',

FIG. 13 depicts a side elevation view of a preferred type of fireproof,or armoured personnel escort, for use in the inventive combination; and

FIG. 14 depicts a plan view, taken along lines 14-14% of the personnelescort described by reference to FIG. 13.

Referring to FIG. I, generally there is shown, in combination, a hollowrail, or tubular or channel member 10 within and through which isconveyed or transported a roller chain 20 (FIG. 3) which is withdrawnfrom a roller chain storage drum 30. The roller chain 20, which isprovided with attachment means to accommodate and convey personnelescorts or carriers 60, is meshed with a pair of drive sprockets 41, 42powered by an engine or motor 50 to which the said sprockets 41, 42 areconnected via drive transmission means 40, which optionally may includeclutch and braking corts or carriers 60, which are operativelyassociated with said attachment means 16 secured upon roller 1 chain 20,are located at desired intervals along the length of roller chain 20,such that the carriers 60 can be conveyed or transported with the rollerchain 20 as it ascends from ground level toward the roof of the building100, or conversely as it descends from a higher 1 elevation to groundlevel.

The upper segment 10;, of channel member 10, it will be observed, can bebent or curved, e.g., curved outwardly or bent around a projectingledge, curved to bypass obstructions, or to pass near a suitablecollection point. Also, systems of rails or channel members, straight orcurved, as desired, e.g., segment 10,, and switches 8 operated in thesame fashion as those in use on modern railroads, can be installed toprovide different paths leading from lower to higher buildingelevations. For example, switch 8 provides a means for connectingtogether channel segments 10,, 10 and 10 The tubular or channel member10, as shown, e.g., by reference to FIG. 2, provides a conduit throughwhich a roller chain 20 can be conveyed or transported, the said channelmember 10 serving in effect as a way, rail, track or path along orthrough which the roller chain 20 is moved. The channel member 10, inits general aspects, is thus comprised of abase plate 9 on the oppositeouter edges of which is mounted a pair of alternately disposed inwardlyprojected guide rails or walls 13,, 13,, generally of Z-shapedcross-section. Thus, the upper portion of the walls 13,, 13 are providedwith rims or edges which are turned inwardly, one toward the other, topartially enclose the roller chain 20, and the lower portions of thewalls 13,, 13 with rims or edges which are turned outwardly, one awayfrom the other, to provide flanged lower portions which abut and aresecured upon the base plate 9. The upper inwardly projected edges definea tubular member with a full length longitudinal slot which serves as away or rail within which the roller chain 20 is contained, and withinwhich full length continuous slot the mechanical means carried by rollerchain 20 for accomodation of the personnel carriers 60 are free to move.The base plate 9 and walls 13,, 13 of channel member 10 can beconstructed as a unitary or single member, or unitized by an assembly ofseparate members. The channel member 10, in either event, generallyincludes a trough portion, or flat depressed surface 11, preferablylocated between a pair of oppositely disposed lower shoulders 12,, 12this providing a way or track along which the roller chain 20 can bemoved in a guided path. It also preferably includes, as suggested, apair of 6 oppositely disposed angular shaped, inwardly projected (orwrap-around) walls 13,, 13 also provided with an oppositely disposedpair of upper shoulders 14,, 14 which, with the trough portion,encompass the roller chain 20 such that it necessarily travels insidethe channelmember 10 providing, in effect, a mono-rail within andthrough which the roller chain 20 is both guided and transported. Thecontinuous, unobstructed slot opening 15,'i.e., the slot formed betweenangular walls 13,, 13 always faces away from the wall of the buildingupon which the channel member 10 is secured, and provides a guided pathalong which the extended mounting means, or attachments 16 which holdsthe series of spaced apart personnel carries 60 in place, can travel.

Roller chain 20 is comprised of a system of repeating links joinedtogether in tandem relationship, one link being secured to another toform a continuous chain. Preferably, the roller chain 20 is comprised ofmultiple chain linkage, most preferably a double chain linkage, and itis guided and driven preferably by a pair of sprocket drives 41, 42. Apreferred type of roller chain 20, as best shown by specific referenceto FIG. 3, is one characterized as containing, in a first set, linkagecomprising pairs of outer rollers 21,, 21 between which are locatedpairs of inner rollers 22,, 22 all in side-by-side relationship, and, ina second set, in tandem relationship to the first set, pairs of outerrollers 23,, 23 and intermediate inner rollers 24,, 24 in similarrelationship, each of the four rollers of a set being held together byparallel aligned-links 27,, 27 27 with end openings and a pin 25, 26passed through the end openings within the links and a central openingthrough each of the rollers. A pin 25, 26, each of which is usually setwithin a bushing, serves as an axle about which the rollers (whichmay beset in bearings) are individually rotatable. The tandem relationship ofone set of rollers with respect to an adjacent set of rollers ispreserved by the use of links 27,, 27 27 of equal and uniform length,and the forces are balanced, e.g., by locating links 27,, 27, outside ofthe outer rollers 21,, 23, and 21 23 and link 27,, between the innerrollers 22,, 22 and 24,, 24 and by locating adjacent links 28,, 28 and29,, 29 between the outer and inner rollers 21,, 22, and 21 22respectively, and links 28 28., and 29,,, 29., between the inner rollers22,, 22 and 24,, 24 The central portions of the pins 25, 26 arepreferably of relatively large diameter at the cross-sections whichserve as axles for the rollers mounted thereon, and the end portionsover which the links are fitted are of somewhat reduced diameter. Thepins 25, 26 are thus usually set within larger diameter bushings, ofsomewhat shorter length, and pins 25, 26 can be held in place by cotterkeys located within lateral openings drilled through the terminal endportions of the said pins, or by bifurcated metal clips or retainingrings which fit within circumferential slots located within and aboutthe terminal end portions of said pins, and the like.

The individual links, e.g., an outer link 27, as shown by specificreference to FIG. 4, are provided with end openings 027,, 027,,preferably of elliptical shape,

The lower end of roller chain 20 at the location where the said chain isintroduced into the channel member 10, after introduction, ispermanently linked with the pair of drive sprockets 41, 42 and adequate1 clearance is provided such that the personnel carrier means 16, orattachments which carry the personnel carriers 60, can pass from oneside of a sprocket 41, 42

to the other without interference, as hereinafter described. Referring,e.g., to FIG. 5, it will be observed that a sprocket 42, which isjournalled upon a shaft 43 and held in place thereon via a nut 44threadably engaged thereto, is provided with a series of uniformlyspaced cogs 45 located around the circumference of the sprocket. Eachsprocket 411, 42, e.g., sprocket 42, is thus comprised of pairs ofmatched circular plates, e.g., 42,, 42 of similar diameter, located inparallel relationship one to another, and spaced apart by a smallerdiameter circular plate, e.g., plate 46, located between the pair ofouter circular plates 42,, 42 Each of the outer circular plates 42,, 42contains an identical number of cogs 45 45 and all are aligned one withanother in parallel relationship. The pitch, or spacing between anyadjacent pair of cogs 45 corresponds to the pitch, or distance betweenthe openings between any adjacent sets of rollers and, as will best beobserved by specific reference to FIG. 6, each cog 45 is, in effect,bifurcated and spaced apart to provide parallel segments 45,, 45 whichcontact and, on rotation, exert force against inner pairs of rollers, ordrive rollers 24,, 24 to transport the roller chain 20. The personnelcarrier means 16, or attachments for the personnel carriers 60, it willbe observed, can pass freely and without interference through the spacesbetween parallel cog segments 45,, 45 Each of the personnel carriermeans 16 is secured, at desired intervals, upon the roller chain 20suitably by virtue of a pair of spaced apart openings through which pins25, 26 are passed to hold these members in place on the said rollerchain 20. Each of the personnel carrier means 16 is provided with a pairof slots 7,, 7 by virtue of which a personnel carrier 60 can be securedand joined to a pair of carrier means 16 for transport with the rollerchain 20.

The roller chain 20 is preferably stored within a storage drum 30, asuitable device of such character being described by reference to FIGS.7 and 8. The roller chain 20, with carrier means 16 projecting or facingupwardly, is withdrawn through the conduit 32 constituting an inletleading into the drum interior. The drum interior, it will be observed,is provided with a helical, or spiral shaped track 33 formed about theouter diameter, but inside the shell 34, of the drum. The roller chain20 is wound upon the helical track 33 in a direction which will locatethe roller chain on the track with the attachment means 16 facedinwardly toward the axis of the drum. By storing the roller chain 20 inthis manner, it can be freely wound and unwound without entanglement.Suitably, the roller chain 20 is unwound by engaging the end thereofwith sprockets 41, 42 whereon activation of the drive means 50 will pullthe roller chain 20 from the drum via the conduit 32 and feed it intothe channel member 10, and it is rewound by reversing this direction ofmovement of the sprockets 41, 42 and roller chain 20.

A suitable holder device for mounting a personnel escort or carrier 60,of various types, on the roller chain 20 is described by reference toFIG. 9. An articulated bar 61, or solid support member relatively longin proportion to its breadth and thickness, thus serves as a member forsupport, upon roller chain 20, of a personnel escort or carrier 61) oftypes shown, e.g., by reference to FIGS. 11 and 13. The bar 61 iscomprised of two segments, an upper segment 61, and a lower segment 611joined one to the other in hinge fashion. The lower portion of the uppersegment 61, is thus preferably bifurcated and provided with openings,and therein is fitted the upper portion of segment 61 also provided withan opening, through which openings is fitted a pin or rivet 62 (FIG.9A). The articulated bar 61, via an upper perforated shank connectionlocated on the upper terminal end of segment 61 and an intermediateperforated shank connection located on segment 61,, is secured to clips62,, 62 by rivets 63,, 63, which are extended through openings locatedin bifurcated projections located in the heel portions of clips 62,, 62and through the perforations in the shank portions of articulated barsegments 61,, 61 The shank portions of articulated bar segments 61,, 61each rests upon helical springs 64,, 64 coiled about rivets 63,, 63,.respectively, and the toe portions of clips 62,, 62 are provided withmeans for ready attachment upon an adjacent pair of carrier attachmentmeans 16,, 16,, attached upon roller chain 20. The articulated bar 61,in combination with the clips 62,, 62 provides means for equaldistribution of weight upon a segment of roller chain 26, and thearticulated joint, in particular, alleviates stresses as loaded portionsof roller chain 20 pass through curved sections of the channel member10.

Preferably, the upper and lower toe portions of each of clips 62,, 62 asshown by specific reference to FIG. 10 which, for convenience, depictsan end view of a clip 62,, are bifurcated and perforated providingvertical oriented notches through which are fitted rivets 65,, 65 Thebar segment formed by each of rivets 65,, 65 can be readily fittedwithin a pair of slots of a carrier attachment means, e.g., slots 7,, 7of a carrier attachment means 16 as described by reference to FIG. 5.Whereas the clips 62,, 62 are easily and rapidly fitted, at groundlevel, upon adjacent pairs of carrier attachment means secured uponroller chain 20, it is virtually impossible, because of the shape ofslots 7,, 7 to disconnect the clips 62,, 62 therefrom of a loadedpersonnel escort or carrier 60. Thus, this simple mechanism provides aready, simple, and quick means of attachment of the personnel escorts orcarriers at a horizontal, or near the ground level, but loaded personnelescorts or carriers 60 in vertical ascent or descent are virtuallyimpossible to disconnect. Hence, a badly frightened or terrorizedpassenger descending from an upper elevation of a building is unable tounlock the personnel escort or carriage 60 from the roller chain untilhe is safely at ground level.

One preferred type of personnel escort 60 is shown and described byreference to FIGS. 11 and 12. The backbone of the articulated bar 66includes hinged bar segments 66,, 66 provided with perforated shanks67,, 67 for connection to clips such as described by reference to FIGS.9 and 10, by virtue of which the personnel escort 60 can be'afiixed upona pair of adjacent attachment means and secured upon a roller chain 20.The personnel escort 60 further includes a platform 67 and segments offrame 68, 69, 70, a saddle 71 being located on the upper terminal end ofthe frame 70, the portion of frame 68 serving as a handlebar which canbe gripped by a passenger who is sitting upon the saddle 71 with hisfeet in place upon the platform 67. The passenger is securely strappedin place, and held there, during ascent or descent, by means of straps72, 73, 74 which fit about the legs, and upper and lower back,respectively, of a passenger. Suitably, if desired, walls (not shown)can be provided to enclose and protect the passenger from fire andsmoke.

An even more preferred type of personnel escort 80, particularlysuitable for protection against fire and smoke, is thus described byreference to FIGS. 13 and 14. The backbone of this unit 80 also isprovided by an articulated bar 81 comprised of a plurality of hingedsegments 81,, 81 81 each segment of which is provided with a perforatedshank 82,, 82 82 to which a clip, such as described by referenceto FIGS.9 and 10, can be affixed for securing the personnel escort 80 upon aroller chain as via suitable attachment means, as illustrated byreference to element 16 of FIG. 5. In this instance, an enclosing wall83 is mounted upon a platform, or base 84, which is secured to the lowersegment 81;, of the articulated bar 81. An enclosing top 85 is alsomounted atop wall 83, a passenger being completely enclosed by the base84, the top 85, wall 83, and a door 86. A passenger can thus readilyenter or exit from the personnel escort 80 by opening and closing thedoor 86, suitably hung on hinges 87,, 87 by operation of the handle 88of a built-in lock of various known types.

The personnel escort 80, if desired, can be suitably armoured or builtof material which will protect an occupant against small arms fire, andthus provide protection, e.g., for a policeman or fireman who may wishto travel therein to reach the roof, or other elevated position on abuilding, or ascend in safety from such building elevation.

It is apparent that various modifications and changes can be made in thevarious portions of the struture, or in the number and kind ofcomponents used, without departing the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. Various materials of construction can thus be em ployed, asvarious changes made in the absolute and relative dimensions of theparts, marterials of construction used, and the like, as will beapparent to those skilled in the art.

Flexible chain of various types can be employed, subject to therequirement that repeating linkage is employed adequate to engage with adrive sprocket, or sprockets, for conveyance and transport of the chainthrough a hollow way, rail, or track. The chain is preferably a rollerchain, or chain provided with a series of rollers, generally constitutedof metal, e.g., steel, titanium, etc., adequate for the existingapplication. Bearings, where employed in the roller chain, can be madeof various materials, e.g., steel, bronze, titanium, meehanite, andvarious plastics.

The hollow rail, or channel member, is constituted of metal suitable forthe existing application, e.g., steel,

titanium, or the like. Suitably, the rail can be equipped with heatingelements for outside applications, located at intervals, for preventingice buildup in winter months, as may occur in certain geographicallocations. The sprocket, or sprockets, are constituted of metal, e.g.,steel or steel alloy, of high strength, and can be driven by virtuallyany engine or motor means, e.g., diesel, electric, gasoline, or thelike. Auxiliary motors of different types are often employed, e.g., adiesel engine in case of a power failure. Whereas a drum type storagecompartment is usually preferred, various other storage devices can beemployed for the chain.

The materials used for construction of the rail, chain, drive sprocketand even the selection of the motor means are made with the realization,inter alia, that the chain, which is always under compression, must beconveyed vertically to an elevation ranging from a few hundred, e.g.,500, feet to perhaps a thousand feet, or higher, and generally it isdesired that the chain be driven this distance within from perhaps aboutI to 2 minutes. Also, the equipment at various locations may besubjected to intense heat.

Various types of personnel escorts, or carriers, can be employed, andthese can be constructed of various materials, as desired, e.g., metal,asbestos, reinforced fiber glass, and the like.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is;

1. An emergency escape or transport apparatus particularly useful inscaling a wall of modern high rise buildings, or skyscrapers, which incombination comprises a rail provided with a hollow head andlongitudinal slot running the full length of the hollow head, and a baseby virtue of which the rail can be securely mounted on the wall of thebuilding with the full length longitudinal slot facing outwardly fromthe wall,

a flexible roller chain with uniformly repeating open linkages suitablefor introduction, guidance and transport within and through the hollowhead of the rail,

attachment means affixed at desired intervals along the length of theroller chain, said attachment means extending through and movable withinthe full length longitudinal slot provided within the rail,

a carrier adapted for engagement with the attachment means affixed uponthe roller chain such that the carrier can be secured upon andtransported with the roller chain as it is guided and moved through therail,

a sprocket engageable, and which can be meshed with, the repeating openlinkages of the roller chain, and

motor means for driving the sprocket for transport of the roller chainmeshed therewith through the hollow head of the rail.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the combination includes, inaddition, means for storing the roller chain when it is not in use.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the storage means is a drum storagecompartment upon which the roller chain can be wound and unwound.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rail is provided with anintermediately located movable section, pivotally disposed via an end toa portion of the rail so that the opposite end of said movable sectioncan be angularly displaced and aligned with a second rail of similardesign, this providing a switch whereby the direction and path ofmovement of the roller chain can be changed by introduction of theroller chain into the hollow head of the second rail, for guidance andtransport.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rail is comprised of a unitizedbase plate and a pair of side guide walls of Z-shaped cross section,

the upper portionsthereof being projected inwardly, one toward theother, and spaced apart to form a full length longitudinal slot andpartially enclose and form a channel within and through which the rollerchain can be transported, and within which full length longitudinal slotthe carrier attachment means can be transported,

ill

the lower portions of the pair of side guide walls of Z-shapedcross-section being faced outwardly and resting upon the edges of thebase plate to provide flanges by virtue of which the said rail can besecured upon the wall of the building.

6. The apparatus of claim wherein each of the side guide walls areprovided with alternately disposed upper and lower longitudinal alignedrib portions which can guide the roller chain upon its introduction andpassage through the channel.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flexible roller chain iscomprised of sets of rollers, one set in tandem relationship to another,a link of which flexible roller chain includes a first set of rollerscontaining a pair of outer rollers and a pair of inner rollers, eachroller being provided with central openings,

a second set of rollers, in tandem relationship and adjacent the saidfirst set of rollers, containing a pair of outer rollers and a pair ofinner rollers, each roller being provided with central openings,

outer link plates, with end openings, and inner link plates alsoprovided with end openings, all of which are of similar length with endopenings equally spaced apart measured from center to center,

a pair of pins, each of which is projected through the central openingsthrough the first and second sets of rollers, the terminal end openingsof a pair of link plates located on the outside of the said first andsecond sets of rollers, the terminal end openings of an intermediatelink plate located between the pair of inner rollers, and wherein thefirst of the pair of pins is also passed through the terminal endopening only of a pair of link plates located between the outer andinner pairs of rollers, and a pair of link plates located between theinner pairs of rollers, of a first set of rollers, and

the second of the pair of pins is also passed through the terminal endopening only of a pair of link plates located between the inner andouter pairs of rollers, and a pair of link plates located between theinner pair of rollers, of a second set of rollers.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the intermediate link plate servesas a means for attachment of a carrier to the roller chain.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the carrier is one adapted fortransport of personnel.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the apparatus includes a pair ofsprockets, one in tandem relationship to the other, which can be meshedwith the roller chain, at least one of which engages the inner pairs ofrollers for application of power via appropriate motor means to drivethe roller chain.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the function of one of thesprockets is primarily to drive the roller chain, and the primaryfunction of the other is to guide the roller chain.

1. An emergency escape or transport apparatus particularly useful inscaling a wall of modern high rise buildings, or skyscrapers, which incombination comprises a rail provided with a hollow head andlongitudinal slot running the full length of the hollow head, and a baseby virtue of which the rail can be securely mounted on the wall of thebuilding with the full length longitudinal slot facing outwardly fromthe wall, a flexible roller chain with uniformly repeating open linkagessuitable for introduction, guidance and transport within and through thehollow head of the rail, attachment means affixed at desired intervalsalong the length of the roller chain, said attachment means extEndingthrough and movable within the full length longitudinal slot providedwithin the rail, a carrier adapted for engagement with the attachmentmeans affixed upon the roller chain such that the carrier can be securedupon and transported with the roller chain as it is guided and movedthrough the rail, a sprocket engageable, and which can be meshed with,the repeating open linkages of the roller chain, and motor means fordriving the sprocket for transport of the roller chain meshed therewiththrough the hollow head of the rail.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe combination includes, in addition, means for storing the rollerchain when it is not in use.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein thestorage means is a drum storage compartment upon which the roller chaincan be wound and unwound.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the railis provided with an intermediately located movable section, pivotallydisposed via an end to a portion of the rail so that the opposite end ofsaid movable section can be angularly displaced and aligned with asecond rail of similar design, this providing a switch whereby thedirection and path of movement of the roller chain can be changed byintroduction of the roller chain into the hollow head of the secondrail, for guidance and transport.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe rail is comprised of a unitized base plate and a pair of side guidewalls of Z-shaped cross section, the upper portions thereof beingprojected inwardly, one toward the other, and spaced apart to form afull length longitudinal slot and partially enclose and form a channelwithin and through which the roller chain can be transported, and withinwhich full length longitudinal slot the carrier attachment means can betransported, the lower portions of the pair of side guide walls ofZ-shaped cross-section being faced outwardly and resting upon the edgesof the base plate to provide flanges by virtue of which the said railcan be secured upon the wall of the building.
 6. The apparatus of claim5 wherein each of the side guide walls are provided with alternatelydisposed upper and lower longitudinal aligned rib portions which canguide the roller chain upon its introduction and passage through thechannel.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flexible roller chainis comprised of sets of rollers, one set in tandem relationship toanother, a link of which flexible roller chain includes a first set ofrollers containing a pair of outer rollers and a pair of inner rollers,each roller being provided with central openings, a second set ofrollers, in tandem relationship and adjacent the said first set ofrollers, containing a pair of outer rollers and a pair of inner rollers,each roller being provided with central openings, outer link plates,with end openings, and inner link plates also provided with endopenings, all of which are of similar length with end openings equallyspaced apart measured from center to center, a pair of pins, each ofwhich is projected through the central openings through the first andsecond sets of rollers, the terminal end openings of a pair of linkplates located on the outside of the said first and second sets ofrollers, the terminal end openings of an intermediate link plate locatedbetween the pair of inner rollers, and wherein the first of the pair ofpins is also passed through the terminal end opening only of a pair oflink plates located between the outer and inner pairs of rollers, and apair of link plates located between the inner pairs of rollers, of afirst set of rollers, and the second of the pair of pins is also passedthrough the terminal end opening only of a pair of link plates locatedbetween the inner and outer pairs of rollers, and a pair of link plateslocated between the inner pair of rollers, of a second set of rollers.8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the intermediate link plate servesas a means for attachment of a carrier to the roLler chain.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the carrier is one adapted for transport ofpersonnel.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the apparatus includes apair of sprockets, one in tandem relationship to the other, which can bemeshed with the roller chain, at least one of which engages the innerpairs of rollers for application of power via appropriate motor means todrive the roller chain.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein thefunction of one of the sprockets is primarily to drive the roller chain,and the primary function of the other is to guide the roller chain.